The Collaborative International Dictionary
buffalo nickel \buffalo nickel\ A United States five-cent coin minted from 1913 to 1937 having an image of an American bison (``buffalo'') on its reverse, and an American Indian on the obverse.
Wikipedia
The Buffalo nickel or Indian Head nickel was a copper-nickel five-cent piece struck by the United States Mint from 1913 to 1938. It was designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser.
As part of a drive to beautify the coinage, five denominations of US coins had received new designs between 1907 and 1909. In 1911, Taft administration officials decided to replace Charles E. Barber's Liberty Head design for the nickel, and commissioned Fraser to do the work. They were impressed by Fraser's designs showing a Native American and an American bison. The designs were approved in 1912, but were delayed several months because of objections from the Hobbs Manufacturing Company, which made mechanisms to detect slugs in nickel-operated machines. The company was not satisfied by changes made in the coin by Fraser, and in February 1913, Treasury Secretary Franklin MacVeagh decided to issue the coins despite the objections.
Despite attempts by the Mint to adjust the design, the coins proved to strike indistinctly, and to be subject to wear—the dates were easily worn away in circulation. In 1938, after the expiration of the minimum 25-year period during which the design could not be replaced without congressional authorization, it was replaced by the Jefferson nickel, designed by Felix Schlag. Fraser's design is admired today, and has been used on commemorative coins and gold bullion pieces.
Usage examples of "buffalo nickel".
He wasted a full second admiring a proof-perfect replica buffalo nickel-such a pretty thing!
He wasted a full second admiring a proof-perfect replica buffalo nickel—.
Alan reached into his pocket and took out the odds and ends that he carried, the buffalo nickel, his pocket knife.
Dunno why you'd want to talk to that meringue-head, but it's your buffalo nickel.
The remaining four tenths of a percent are what keeps SF alive and growing, and in particular they were what was keeping Galaxy alive and growing five years ago, as the publisher gave Jim a monthly budget of two cheese sandwiches, a firkin of salt and a buffalo nickel with which to produce the magazine.
The remaining four tenths of a percent are what keeps sf alive and growing, and in particular they were what was keeping Galaxy alive and growing five years ago, as the publisher gave Jim a monthly budget of two cheese sandwiches, a firkin of salt and a buffalo nickel with which to produce the magazine.
Among the mementos were a buffalo nickel and a Lincoln-head penny.
Yours, opened, disgorges two tens, a five, three singles, a quarter, a dime, and a buffalo nickel.
It was a small thing, nothing like the monster that Tony must have used to produce the counterfeit money, and its structure could not have concealed a buffalo nickel.
It was a small thing, nothing like the monster that Tony must have used to produce the counterfeit money, and its structure could not haw concealed a buffalo nickel.
Damara shopped almost exclusively at Buffalo Nickel, the vintage clothing store frequented by the arty types who weren’.